Radioggaphic apparatus



April 27, 1937. F. T. POWERS v RADIOGRAPHIC APPARATUS Filed Jan. 28, 1932 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Al 3nnentor flunlvZPowars i2 1 (.Ittorneg April 27, 1937. F. T. POWERS 2,078,340

HADIOGRAPHIC APPARATUS Filed Jan. 28, 1932 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 27, 1937. F. T. POWER S 2,078,340

) I RADIOGRAPHIC APPARATUS Filed Jan. 28, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 III'IIII IIIII IIII Mu lnlnlfuu INVENTOR Patented Apr. 27, 1937 ererr RADIOGRAPHIC APPARATUS Frank T. Powers, Douglaston, N. Y.

Application January 28, 1932, Serial No. 589,401

8 Claims.

My invention relates to the art of radiography,

and. particularly to amethod and device for the rapid and convenient production of radiographs, especially of similar or corresponding anatomical radiographs of successive human subjects or patients.

.Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with m the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed'out in the appended claims. Both the importance and the usefulness of X- ray shadow records of human anatomy in the 15 diagnosis and treatment of disease or disorders have increased rapidly in recent years. As its advantages are more and more recognized and utilized the number of radiographs made has in creased until a point is now reached or approached where the time element entering into the making of X-ray radiographs, especially of successive human subjects or patients, is an important factor, since it'places a definite limit upon the number of graphs which can be turned out by an elaborate and expensive X-ray outfit in a given time. The cost of making X-ray graphs is a function of the total time required" to make a given numberof them. Ordinarily awell equipped X-ray laboratory with trained operators and technicians capable of systematic and coordinated. operation bodies of patients, such for example as the upper torso, including lungs andheart, at the rate of one patient every twelve to twenty minutes, or three to five per hour. By the use of my invention it is possible, without undue haste, to take such radiographs of the upper torso at the rate of two or three patients per minute, or one hundred and twenty to one hundred and eighty per hour. When the number of radiographs to be taken is large and the time element and the cost are important, it will be evident that my invention is of great usefulness.

In the practice of the art of making radio- 5 graphs, it is now generally custcmary to prepare the ray sensitive medium, such as X-ray film, for exposure to the X-rays by placing a cut sheetof the film in a holder called a cassette, which is a light-tight caseof metal or other suitable mates rial, within which and in intimate contact with 50 the X-ray film are two intensifying screens of well known character. The X-ray film so disposed in the light tight cassette is placed in a suitable position with reference to the patient. 55 The positions of the patient and of the X-ray tube other conditions for best results.

can take X-ray radiographs of portions of the are carefullyadjusted and measurements taken of the anatomy of the patient, such as the thickness of the chestfto determine the voltage or the length of timeof exposure to the X-ray and The position 5 of the X-ray tube is so adjusted as to be opposite a particular dorsal vertebra of the patient. .A band, usually of woven fabric, called an immobilizer, is tightlydrawn and firmly held across the body of the patient to prevent movementor swaying by the patient during the exposure. The operator, having checked all measurements and positions and conditions, and having estimatedv from the thickness of the patients chest the time i of exposure to allow, or the number of kilovolts to use, sets his instruments as indicated by the result of his calculations, closes the switch which energizes the X-ray tube and so makes the radiograph. The immobilizer is then detached and removed from the patients body, the cassette con,- taining the X-ray film is removed from its holder and taken tothe dark room for removal of the exposed film and the insertion. of an unexposed film. The exposed film is then individually de-' veloped, fixed, Washed and dried, and is then ready; for examination by an X-ray diagnostician or roentgenologist. This process is repeated for each exposure made and is naturally a very slow process with present equipment.

, By the use'of my new apparatus many of the steps necessarily taken separately and consecutively by present methods, are either entirely eliminated or are so combined with other steps in away that the several steps are performed collectively and require no added time for their performance. Other steps are performed by mechanical means which are now carried out manually. The result is such a speeding up of the whole operation that it becomes possible to X-ray,

for example, the lungs of a company of soliders or a school of children, or the employees of a large factory, or any large group of persons, in such a relatively short time, at the rate of say one hundred and fifty per hour, and at such low cost by reason of this high rate, that it now becomes feasible, practical and economical to apply X-ray diagnosis to large groups.

As illustrative of a preferred form of myinvention, I show in the accompanying drawings 6 and describe below an apparatus'embodying its spirit, but I do not confine myself to thisform nor to any form since the spirit of my invention finds expression in a wide variety of forms and includes many parts and sub-divisions which are applicable to other types of apparatus, some of which are now in common use.

The apparatus chosen as illustrative of my invention is arranged with particular reference to the making of radiographs of the human chest, with the subject in a standing position, but obviously similar or .equivalent apparatus may be arranged for making radiographs with the subject in a reclining or sitting position without departing from the spirit of the invention or foregoing any of its advantages. In the drawings like characters refer to the same or similar parts and arrows indicate direction of movement.

Of the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled apparatus. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the assembled apparatus. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the cassette and stand in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the cassette stand in the direction of the arrow B in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the braking mechanism and parts immediately adjacent thereto. Fig. 6 is a perspective View to an enlarged scale of the mechanism for indicating the required setting for the X-ray tube.

The apparatus consists of a number of component parts which are so coordinated that the various parts function together as a unit and are collectively positionable with reference to the object being radiographed.

In Fig. 1 the entire unit is shown. Its principal features are a main framework comprising three vertical, preferably tubular members, I, 2 and 3, rigidly connected by means of braces 4, 5 and 6 at the top and braces I and 8 at the bottom. An X-ray tube support, 9, is slidably mounted on vertical frame member I A cassette I0 is mounted on a table II, which is movably mounted between vertical frame members 2 and 3. A compression band adjusting mechanism is movably mounted above the cassette and is also movable along the vertical frame members 2 and 3. In greater detail these principal features are shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

The cassette ID as shown is. one of the well known magazine type using a sensitive membrane in roll form, capable of presenting successive increments of the roll of membrane into exposure position by means operable exteriorly of the cassette. This cassette is mounted on the table II, the end members l2 of which are provided with rollers l3 to furnish rolling contact with the upright frame members 2 and 3. These end members I2 also provide support for a horizontal shaft M, on which are rigidly mounted two pinions, l5, two grooved wheels l6 and a hand wheel H. The two pinions, l5, mesh with two racks I8 attached to the side of vertical frame members 2 and 3.

Attached to each of the frame members 2 and 3 are lugs 19 to which are securely fastened two wire cables 20, which pass downward around the grooved wheels l6 and then upward to and around two grooved wheels 2| at the tops of the tubular vertical upright members 2 and 3, thence downward within the tube, and are attached to counterweights 22.

In this manner provision is made for raising or lowering the cassette within the limits imposed by the length of the racks ill, by turning the handwheel I1.

Attached to either end of the table II are two vertical connecting rods 23, extending upward from the table I I along the side of vertical frame members 2 and 3, and terminating in two racks 24 which are slidable vertically in recessed grooves 24a attached to the side of vertical frame members 2 and 3.

The compression band adjusting mechanism referred to as a principal element of the unit consists of two shafts 25 and 26, both of which pass through suitable bearings 21 mounted on two plates 28 and 29. On shaft 25 are rigidly mounted two pinions, 30, a handwheel 3| and two collars, 32, for maintaining proper spacing between the plates 28 and 29, which are each provided with four rollers 33 to insure free movement along the frame members 2 and 3. The shaft 26 is offset in its middle portion to clear the head of the subject during the process of making the radiograph. This shaft 25 carries rigidly mounted thereon two curved arms 34 held apart about midway of their length by the cross brace 35, and carrying at their free ends suitable attachment clips, 36, to which is attached the ends of the compression band 31 made preferably of cotton cloth.

Rigidly mounted on the plate 29 and surrounding the shaft 25 is a friction brake wheel 38 surrounded by a brake band 39, which is held tight against the surface of the brake wheel by the spring 49 and is releasable by movement of the hand lever 4! acting through connecting rod 42. One end of the brake band 39 is connected to the stud El attached to one end of bell crank lever 62, and the other end is connected to stud 63, attached to lever 43. The spring 49 is connected at one end to one end of bell crank 62 and at its other end to pin 64 attached to the lever 43. Also attached to shaft 26 is the lever arm 43, by means of which the shaft may be rotated to position the compression band 31 as is hereinafter'described.

Attached to the plate 28 is asegmental dial 4 3 which carries a pivoted pointer 45 provided with a stud 45 and a spring 4'! .by the action of which the pointer 45 is normally held against the stop 48 attached to the dial 44. On the end of the shaft 23 is attached an arm 49 which contacts the stud 46 when the. shaft 26 is rotated to bring the compression band 3'! into position against the back of the subject, and causes a movement of the pointer 45 which in turn indicates on the scale 59, which is suitablycalibrated, the intensity of current or kilovolts required to penetrate the chest of the subject. Attached to the compression band mechanism by means of the lug 5| is a flexible wire cable 52 which leads upwardly and over a grooved pulley 53, thence over to the top of vertical frame member I and over a grooved pulley 54.

thence downward inside the frame member I, and is attached to a counterweight 55.

The X-ray tube 56, which is suitably connected by conductors 55w to-a suitable source of electric energy not shown in the drawings is mounted on a tube support 9 in the form of a bracket assembly slidable along the vertical frame member I and provided with rollers 5'! to reduce friction and prevent binding. Attached to this bracket assembly by means of the lug 58 is a flexible wire cable 59 which leads upward and over the grooved pulley, 5 thence downward and is attached to the counterweight 55. The counterweight 55 is made heavier than the tube support 9 with all of its attached parts, including the X-ray tube. The portion of the weight of the counterweight V 55, which is not balanced by the weight of the support 9 with its attached parts, is transmitted by the cable 52 to the compression band adjusting assembly. It is obvious that any raising or lowering of the compression band assembly will result in a similar and equal movementfiof' the tube support and that whatever relationship as to relative heights of compression band and X-' ray tube is established by the lengths of the cables 52 and 59 such relationship will be maintained throughout the range of movement.

Having described one form of apparatus embodying my invention,'I shall now describe its operation in practicing the method of my invention.

Assuming that it is desired to make an X-ray radiograph of the upper torso of a subject, including the lung cavity and heart, the subject is'placed in a standing position, with the chest pressed against the; front of the cassette; A previously prepared marker card .is inserted in the card holder 60 on thefront of, the cassette to identify the. radiograph.- This marker is preferably :of the character described inmy co-pending application Serial Number 5'71,8l9.- The cassette is then raised or lowered by means of the hand Wheel, 11, until it is at the proper height for the subject to rest the chin on the upper front edge of the cassette.

-It is highly desirable in makingradiographs that all those of a similar portion of the body,

taken for a single purpose, such, for example, as radiographs of the lung cavity made for the purpose of detecting the effects of tuberculosis, shall be made with the X-ray tube in a very definite relationship with the subject. For example, some roentgenologists prefer that the tube be located exactly opposite or at the exact height of the fourth dorsal vertebra of the subject. This adjustment of the tube'to the proper height takes place automatically in my new apparatus. The length of the cable is so adjusted that when the compression band 31 is in position against the body of the subject the center of the tube 56 will be exactly opposite or on the level with the centerof theband 31. By adjusting the compression band 3'! up or down against the subjects body by means of the .racks 24 and pinions until it is centered over the fourth dorsal vertebra, the tube is brought into correct position without the necessity of taking any measurements of the subject or making any. separate readjustment of either the tube or the subject.

By means of the lever 43 upon release of the brake band 39 by pressure of the hand on hand lever 4|, the compression band 31 attached to the ends of the arms 34 is then pressed against the body of the subject to hold the subject firmly and immovably against the front oi! the cassette. The proper pressure of the band against the subject having been applied by the operator the hand lever 4| is released, permitting the spring acting through bell crank 62 to cause the brake band 39 to engage the brake wheel 38 thus holding the compression band in place. The pointer actuated by the arm 49 moves over the scale 50 and so serves as an indicator of the thickness of the chest of the subject being radiographed.

This automatic scaling or measuring of the thickness of the chest permits the operator to regulate the exposure to correspond to the chest thickness without any calculation or estimating. The scale 50 is calibrated with the X-ray control device (forming part of the circuit 5611. not shown in the drawings) used for making exposures, so that the scale 50 indicates at once and directly the setting of the control to give proper exposure. All now being in readiness, the operator sets the voltage control to correspond with the reading of the scale 'ill and makes the exposure. The subject is then released by loosening the brake band39 by pressure on the handle 4| and rais cassette for the next radiograph. Another subsubject steps up to take position as described above, and the same process is repeated over and over at the rate of one subject each 20 to 30 seconds, until all of the sensitized membrane on the roll within the cassette has been exposed.

The exposed roll of sensitized membrane is then removed from the magazine cassette. A new roll is inserted in'the cassette and the operations are repeated until the desired number of j'ects have been radiographed;

I have described the operation .of my new apparatus when applied to the taking of radiographs of the upper part of the torso of the subject, but I do not wish to be understood as limitingmy apparatus to such use, since it is applicable to many other uses. By varying the relative positions of the component parts of my apparatus without departing from the spirit of my invention, they may be arranged for the rapid making of radiographs of any part of the anatomy, such, for example, as the extremities, or for the rapid production of radiographs of inanimate objects, as is common in the examination of objects, such as castings, to discover blowholes or other defects.

It will be obvious that for some purposes the compression band which I have shown and. de-

scribed will not be necessary, and that the collective positioning of the cassette and the tube to the object being radiographed will greatly speed up the operation by eliminating the necessity for separately positioning these elements.

' Having described my invention and shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof, I will now state what I believe to'be new and novel, and for which I pray that Letters Patent be granted.

I claim:

1. In radiographio apparatus including in combination, a frame having mounted thereon for vertical movement, an X-ray generator, a cassette and an immobilizer; means for moving said cassette. to vertically position same with respect to the subject to be radiographed, and independent means for moving said generator and said immobilizer together so as to maintain constant the vertical relation of said generator and immobilizer and to direct said generator upon the part of the subject to be radiographed.

2. In radiographic apparatus combination, a frame having mounted thereon for vertical movement, an X-ray generator, a cassette and an immobilizer; means for moving said generator, cassette and immobilizer together to vertically position the cassette with respect to the subject to be radiographed and to roughly position the generator and immobilizer, and independent means for moving said generator and said immobilizer together so as to maintain constant the vertical relation of said generator and immobilizer and to direct said generator upon the part of the subject to be radiographed.

3. The method of making corresponding anatomical radiographs of a succession of human subjects, which comprises, positioning an X-ray sensitive membrane in uniform anatomical relation to a human subject, that relation being the subincluding in I same for successive subjects, clamping the subject in position and simultaneously positioning an X-ray tube in registry with a desired portion of the subjects anatomy, and also simultaneously determining the thickness of said portion of the subjects anatomy in terms of X-ray tube control,

and radiographing the subject upon the membrane.

4. A radiographic apparatus including in combination a frame, a casette, an immobilizer, and an X-ray generator, said frame comprising parallel members and cross members securing said parallel members together, a first carriage supporting said generator and slidably mounted upon one of said parallel members, a second carriage supporting said cassette and slidably mounted upon the other of said parallel members for movement parallel to that of said generator, a third carriage slidably mounted upon said frame for movement parallel to that of said second carriage, means for moving said second carriage, connecting means between said second and third carriages whereby movement of the second produces like movement of the third, independent means for moving said third carriage, connecting means between said first and third carriages whereby movement of the third produces like movement of the first, and means mounting said immobilizer upon said third carriage wherebymovement of said third carriage will produce like movement of said immobilizer, said last mentioned means including means to move said immobilizer to a position to clamp a subject to be radiographed. V

5. In a radiographic apparatus including an X-ray tube and a frame; an immobilizer comprising a carriage movable along said frame, a flexible band, means for supporting said band to swing it in an arc to produce movement thereof transverse to the subject, said means including an arm pivotally mounted at one end to said carriage and having its other end secured to said band, and means associated with said last-mentioned means for indicating the setting for the X-ray tube to obtain the required exposure conditions.

6. In a radiographic apparatus including an X-ray tube and a frame; an immobilizer comprising a carriage movable along said frame, a flexible band, and means for supporting said band to swing it in an arc to produce movement thereof transverse to the subject, said means including an arm pivotally mounted at one end to said carriage and having its other end secured to said band.

7. A radiographic apparatus including in combination a frame, a cassette, means for moving said cassette along said frame to position same relatively to a subject, an X-ray tube, an immobilizer, means independent of said cassette moving means for moving said tube and immobilizer as a unit along said frame to position said tube and immobilizer relatively to a selected part of the anatomy of said subject, means for moving said immobilizer to clamp the subject, and operating means for at least two of said moving means located at a single station.

8. The method of rapidly making corresponding anatomical radiographs of a succession of human subjects at a rate of the order of 150 radiographs per hour which comprises; positioning an X-ray sensitive membrane in uniform anatomical relation to a human subject, that relation being the same for successive subjects, While simultaneously positioning an X-ray tube and a clamp with reference to said membrane; adjusting said clamp to position the same with reference to a selected part of the subjects anatomy within the field determined by the aforesaid positioning of the membrane while simultaneously moving said X-ray tube to effect its proper positioning in registry with said selected part; immobilizing the subject by clamping the latter with said selected part maintained in registry with the X-ray tube; and radiographing the selected part of the immobilized subject upon the membrane. 1

- FRANK T. POWERS. 

